Trimming gauge



Aug- 1968 N. M. JOHNSON TRIMMIN GAUGE Filed Ma 1966 Nomi; Johnson UnitedStates Patent M 3,395,456 TRIMMING GAUGE Norris M. Johnson, Rte. 1, Box40, Sutherlin, Oreg. 97479 Filed May 6, 1966, Ser. No. 548,208 2 Claims.(Cl. 33-82) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gauge for use in layingshingles for determining the desired amount of uniform overhang ofshingles from the roof face board. The gauge includes a fixed locatingelement for placement against a previously trimmed shingle and a secondlocating element either fixed or adjustable for engagement with the roofface board with the gauge further including a knife guiding edgepositionable in parallel, spaced relationship to the face board.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in trimminggauges, and in particular the invention concerns itself with agauge-which may be effectively and conveniently employed to guide acutting tool in trimming overhanging shingles on the face board of aroof.

In roof construction it is customary to lay shingles in overlappingcourses on the roof face board so that the shingles project outwardly oroverhang the side edge of the face board, as for example, by a nominaldistance of one inch or so. As each course of shingles is laid, it isnecessary for the overhanging edge to be trimmed in line with thepreviously laid and already trimmed course of shingles. This object isattained by the provision of a from the side edge of the face board, andsince the face board side edge cannot be seen-under the overhangingshingles by a workman on the roof, difiiculties are often experienced intrimming the shingles along a straight line parallel to and equidistantfrom the edge of the face board.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention toeliminate such difficulties and to facilitate convenient and accuratetrimming of the overhanging shingles. This object is attained by theprovision of a trimming gauge which may be superposed on the course ofshingles to be trimmed and which is equipped with locating meanscooperating with both the face board and with already trimmed shingles,so as to effectively and accurately guide a cutting tool in theperformance of the trimming operation.

Inasmuch as the extent of shingle overhang on different roofs may vary,the invention provides, as one of its important features, adjustablelocating means to facilitate positioning of the gauge with its cuttingtool guiding edge at a selected and variable distance from the side edgeof the face board, thus providing the desired amount of shingle overhangafter trimming.

In another, simpler embodiment of the invention, the locating means areset or fixed, to permit trimming at a constant, given amount ofoverhang.

The device of the invention is simple, convenient and accurate in use,and adaptable to economical manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the trimming gauge of theinvention in position on a roof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view, taken substantiallyin the plane of the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

3,395,456 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectionaldetail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the trimming gauge per se; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the gauge.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularlyto FIGURES 14 inclusive, the invention comprises a trimming gaugedesignated generally by the reference numeral 10, which may be used forguiding a cutting tool, such as a knife for example, in trimmingshingles with an overhang at one side edge of a roof face board. Forillustrative purposes, FIGURE 1 shows a roof face board 11 having a sideedge 12, a course of shingles 13 already laid and trimmed at the edge 14so as to overhang or project beyond the side edge 12 of the face board11, and the next overlying course of shingles 15 with an overhangingportion 15a be trimmed in alignment with the trimmed edge 14 of theshingle course 13.

The trimming gauge 10 comprises a. flat, elongated plate 16 of suitablematerial such as metal, or the like, one longitudinal side edge of theplate providing a straight guiding edge 17 for a trimming tool, as forexample, a knife. A first plate locating element 18, in the form of anangle bracket, is secured to the plate 16, as by welding, at one end ofand in alignment with the guiding edge 17, the locating element 18having a member projecting perpendicularly and downwardly from the plateso that it may be brought in abutment with the already trimmed edge 14of the shingle course 13.

The plate 16 is sufliciently long to extend from the trimmed shinglecourse 14 over the untrimmed course 15 and onto the face board 11, wherethe plate 16 is provided with a second locating element 19, constitutedby a downturned end member of an elongated strap 20. The strap 20 isslidably mounted in a pair of transversely aligned brackets or guides 21secured to the top surface of the plate 16, it being apparent that bysliding the strap in the brackets, the locating element 19 may be movedlaterally closer to or further away from the guiding edge 17. Thelocating element 19 is intended to abut the side edge 12 of the faceboard 11, it being noted that the corner portion of the plate 16 isrecessed as indicated at 22 so that the locating element 19 may projectbelow the plate to engage the face board.

The strap 20 together with the associiated locating element 19 may belocked in an adjusted position by suitable wing bolts 23 which areprovided in the brackets 21 and are clampingly engageable with thestrap.

The lateral spacing of the locating member 19 from the edge 17 and,consequently, from the locating member 18, determines the extent ofoverhang of the shingle when the latter is trimmed along the edge 17 ofthe plate, and since the element 19 is laterally adjustable with respectto the element 18, it will be understood that the gauge may be set fortrimming shingles at any desired amount of overhang past the side edge12 of the :face board. Suitable graduations 24 may be marked along therecessed edge 22 of the plate 16, such graduations corresponding to themarkings of a ruler, so that by observing the position of the locatingelement 19 with respect to the graduations 24, the lateral spacing ofthe element 19 from the element 18 may be readily determined.

The inner side portion of the plate 16 may be cut away as indicated at25 for a reduction in weight and also to facilitate handling of thetool.

When the trimming gauge is placed in use, the first course of shingles13 is laid on the face board 11 and is trimmed along the side edge 14 ata selected distance or overhang from the side edge 12 of the face board.The gauge 10 is adjusted by locating the element 19 at the selectedlateral distance from the element 18 .to correspond to the selectedamount of overhang, and when the next course of shingles 15 is laid, thegauge is placed on the work as shown in FIGURE 1 so that the locatingelement 18 abuts the trimmed edge 14 of the shingle course 13 and thelocating element 19 abuts the side edge 12 of the face board 11. In thisposition of the gauge, the guiding edge 17 of the plate 16 will extendacross the overhanging portion 15a of the shingle course 15, which maythen be trimmed by a suitable cutting tool guided by the edge 17 of theplate, in alignment with the trimmed edge 14 of the preceding shinglecourse 13. The procedure, of course, is repeated with each successivecourse of shingles as it is laid.

FIGURE illustrates a modified and a simplified embodiment of theinvention which, unlike the embodiment already described, is notadjustable as to different extent of shingle overhang.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 5, the plate 30 has a guiding edge 31 with afixed locating element 32 at one end thereof, as well as a fixed secondlocating element 33 which is laterally offset from the element 32 by agiven distance. The operation of the embodiment of FIGURE 5 is the sameas that already described in connection with the embodiment of FIGURES1-4, although it will be appreciated that the relatively fixed locatingelements 32, 33 of the embodiment of FIGURE 5 do not afford theadjustment in the extent of shingle overhang, such as is afforded by themovable locating element 19.

It may be also noted in FIGURE 5 that a further simplification of thedevice is possible by forming the elements 32, 33 integrally with theplate 30, which could also be done in the instance of the locatingelement 18 on the plate 16.

As illustrated in the drawings, both embodiments of the invention areintended for use at the left-hand side edge of the roof, it beingunderstood that another gauge of the right-hand type would be utilizedat the right-hand edge of the roofing.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A gauge for use with a cutting tool in the successive trimming ofshingles at a uniform outward distance from the roof face board, saidgauge comprising,

a light gauge metal plate of elongate shape for overlying facial contactwith the shingle being trimmed and having a recessed edge defining aninset area at one end of said plate and a guiding edge for a cuttingtool extending substantially the length of said plate and beyond saidshingle and terminating at one end in communication with said inset areaof said plate,

a first plate locating element in the form of an angle bracket fixedlymounted on the other end of said plate and having a depending member injuxtaposition to said cutting edge for abutment with an adjacent,previously trimmed shingle,

a second locating element carried by said plate and including adepending member inwardly offset from said guiding edge within saidinset area for abutment with said roof board,

said depending member of said second locating element offset from saidguiding edge a distance equal to the overhang of said previously trimmedshingle whereby said depending members will cooperate to locate saidguiding edge in parallel spaced relationship to the roof face board forsubsequent shingle trimming by a cutting tool.

2. The gauge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second locating elementfurther includes an elongated strap slidably mounted within bracketmeans carried by said plate, said bracket means including means forlocking said strap to said plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 112,780 3/1871 Castle 33-82116,805 7/1871 Castle 3382 537,870 4/1895 Thielen et al. -1 33197738,256 9/1903 Tinklepaugh 33188 979,225 12/1910 Thompson 33-821,414,556 5/1922 Dresen 33-188 1,629,053 5/1927 Schrader 33-197 SAMUELS. MATTHEWS, Primary Examiner.

